Help on Tillotson electric start

[DevoutOccamist]

My Tillotson 212 electric start just clicks when I turn the key.
Bad battery? I jumper it from my (running) truck. Click.
Bad solenoid? I short the solenoid terminals, spark but it doesn't turn over.
The oil is full, so it's not likely the shutoff.
Can anyone help?

 

[hermans13]

Can the engine be turned by hand or with a wrench?
Take the spark plug out and see if it cranks.

 

[sparkwizard]

Can the engine be turned by hand or with a wrench?
Take the spark plug out and see if it cranks.

What he said. Them check the connection from solenoid to starter.

 

[DevoutOccamist]

The engine starts manually.
Solenoid to starter connection makes sense. I'll pull it apart to check.
Thank you both

 

[sparkwizard]

Best of luck to you. Let us know what you find, OK?

 

[DevoutOccamist]

I just pulled the plug and went through the whole routine again. It still won't crank.

 

[sparkwizard]

Is the solenoid mounted on the starter, or is the solenoid mounted somewhere else, with a cable going from the solenoid to the starter?

Did it ever start with the electric starter?

 

[Lizardking]

Use a wood mallet to give the solenoid/starter a couple of bangs. Works for cars when the starter is going out and needs replacing.

 

[DevoutOccamist]

I bought this used, so I don't know if the starter ever worked, though I have to think it did or it would have been returned.

It's not the solenoid. I shorted the contacts and it still doesn't twitch.

 

[sparkwizard]

Is the solenoid mounted on the starter, or is it somewhere else on the machine?

 

[DevoutOccamist]

Separate and below as in the pic.

 

[sparkwizard]

Ok, that red cable goes to the battery + terminal. Where does the battery - cable attach to the engine?

 

[DevoutOccamist]

Red goes from bat to solenoid with a branch to the start switch. Black from the solenoid the starter.
Attached is the diagram I am using. It looks pretty simple, but I can't figure it out.

 

[zefer]

Sounds like a bad solenoid or a bad ground
I bought one for 8 bucks...it takes 10
Minutes to swap it out...BUT make sure the positive terminal is removed from the battery.
Why beat your head against the wall going thru a bunch of stuff
It's a cheap diagnostic tool and if it takes care of the problem great if not....drop back and punt !

 

[sparkwizard]

Where does your black battery cable connect to the engine? Second time I am asking.
I assume you figured it out by now.

 

[DevoutOccamist]

Yes, the black cable connects the frame to the battery.

The starter still does not work. I've thrown it to the back of the bench and gone on to other things. Screw Tillotosn.

 

[sparkwizard]

Your black negative cable should be to bare metal in the engine. One of the bare, clean bolts that mount it to the frame should work.

 

[DevoutOccamist]

Yes it should. Yes it does.

 

[zefer]

Man don't give up I've got built 212 Tilly E starts that fire on the button. I did away with the whole mess of starter switch relay box that hangs off the motor and wired my starter to a button on the bars...hot from battery to positive post on the starter blue solenoid wire off the solenoid to one side of the stater button and the other wire from the switch to ground.if your battery is hot then you should be able to fire it up. If it still won't fire the you got a bad starter or solenoid...hey did you ever check your coil gap ?